Railway car coupler



June 24, 1958 F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 1, 1955 INVENTOR.

a/dazzuaza/ g 1 June 24, 1958 F. H. KAYLER RAILWAY CAR COUPLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1, 1955 INVENTOR. J wan/ 24W at the side of the coupler.

United States Patent OfiT-ice RAILWAY CAR COUPLER Frank H. Kayler, Alliance, Ohio, assignor to American Steel Foundries, Chicago, 111., a corporation of New Jersey I Application March 1, 1955, Serial No. 491,494 7 11 Claims. (Cl. 213-133) This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to an arrangement for operating the locking mechanism of a coupler from a side of the car.

In the conventional vertical interlocking bottom rotary operated type of coupler, the usual position of the actuating or operating rod is below the coupler in a location .thatmay interfere with the proper positioning of air and power lines essential to the operation of the car. This arrangement is both inconvenient and'unsafe, for it prevents the proper operation at all times of the coupling operation and also rendersit extremely diflicult to .conmeet and disconnect or service the air and power lines between the cars, especially in the case of electrically powered cars. t

It is therefore an important object ofthis'inventionto provide an operating arrangement for a bottom rotary operated type of coupler that aflords adequate clearance under the coupler for other parts of the car and for air and power lines. I

Another object of the invention is a provision of a coupler operating arrangement wherein an auxiliary'rotor rod isemployed to transmit the operating force from an operating. rod positioned above the coupler to a rotor positioned at the bottom of the coupler. v A more specific object of the invention is to provide operating linkage for a bottom rotary operated coupler that includes a horizontal operating rod above the coupler, an auxiliary rotor rod below the coupler. and a vertical rod interconnecting the operating and rotor-rods I These and other objects,- of the invention will become apparent from an examination of thefollowing description and drawings, wherein: I

Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view of a bottom rotary operated type of coupler having the novel operating linkage of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View of the structure shown in Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a plan view similar to Figure 1 showing the complete operating rod and its relationship to the carandcoupler, and

Figure a front view of Figure 3; a I 1 I It will'be' noted that some of the elements have been intentionally omitted from some of the views wherethey are.better shown in other views. V 1 v Describing the invention in, detail, it will be seen that the coupler, indicated generally at"10,is a conventional the structure illustrated in l atented June 24, 1958 may be "of a conventional type and does not constitute a part of this invention.

The rotor 18 is positioned centrally within the head at the lower portion thereof and the movement of the rotor operates the locking mechanism within the head of the coupler. v i

In an arrangement employing the conventional type of coupler with a rotor at the bottom, the operating rod extends horizontally from one side of the car to the underside of the'coupler where it is usually connected directly to the rotor or rotor assembly. However, the arrangement of this invention affords clearance and prevents interference with other parts of the car under the coupler by having the operating rod 20 positioned above the coupler and connected to the rotor by linkage at the side of the coupler.

The operating rod 20 extends transversely of the car from the coupler to the side of the car, and may be secured adjacent its outboard end to the car by means of support 22. The outboard end of the operating rod may be'bent as at 23 to form a crank or handle 24.

The inboard end of the operating rod may be bent down at 26 (as seen in Figure 4) and forward at 28 (as seen in Figure 3) to form a guide section 30 intermediate the respective bends and an end section 32 inboardly of bend 28. v

The inboard end section 32of the operating rod may be supported by and seated on the upper surface 34 of head 12 in the vicinity of the coupler knuckle tail pocket of the head. The surface 34 may be provided with a pair of upwardly extending spaced lugs 36, preferably formed integrally with the head. The guide section 31) of rod 20 may be positioned between the lugs andretained by a cotter 38 to be free to rotate about a generally horizontal axis.

Additionally, the operating rod 20 may comprise a crank arm 40, preferably secured rigidly thereto as by welding at a point 42, outboardly adjacent the bend 26. The outer end of arm 40 may be provided with an eye or aperture 44. Thus it will be seen that with the op- 'erating rod supported adjacent its outboard end by the car at 22 and at its in board end by the coupler at 34, the rod is free to rotate through an arc of approximately 180 about a generally horizontal axis extending transversely of the car.

The extreme lower end of the rotor 18 presents an eye or aperture (not shown) in which is received the end of an operating rod. However, in this invention a relatively short auxiliary rotor rod 46 is provided to engage and turn the rotor to actuate the locking mechanism of the coupler. The rotor rod 46 may be positionedin a generally horizontal plane immediately under the coupler vertical interlocking bottom rotary operated type comhead; to extend from the center of the coupler to one side thereof. The inboard end 48 of the rotor rod 46 may be provided with a U-shaped bend to accommodate its reception and retention in the eye or aperture of the rotor.

The outboard end of rotor rod 46 may be bent forward at 50 (as seen in Figure 3) and down at 52 (as seen in Figure 2) to provide guide section54 and end section 56, respectively. The outboard portion of end section 56 may be provided with an eye or aperture 58.

The lower side of coupler head 12 may be provided a with a generally U-shaped support bracket 60, preferably formed integrally therewith. The support bracket 60 comprises spaced arms 61 and a bolt 62 extending therethrough to retain and support therein the rotonrod 46 at a point adjacent bend 50 to permit the rotation of the rotor rod about a substantially horizontal axis extending transversely of the coupler.

The operating rod 20 may be connected to the rotor 3 rod 46 by means of a generally vertical connecting rod 64 positioned at one side of the coupler. The connecting rod 64 may be formed with a plurality of bends defining a double crank having upper and lowersections 66 and 68, respectively. The end portions of upper and lower sections 66 and 68 maybe bent toprovideend sections 70 and 72, respectively. The upper end section 70 may be receivedin theeye 44 of the operating rod arm 40 and the lower end section 72 may be received in the eye 58 of rotor rod 46. 4

:Thus it will be seen that as operating rod 20 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction (asseenin Figure 2), the arm 40 will be raised and will carry connecting rod in an upward direction. The upward movement of the connecting rod will urge the rotor rod 46: to rotate also in a counterclockwise direction (as seen in Figure 2) and in turn actuate the rotor in the locking mechanism.

,Also a rotation of the operating rod 20 in the opposite I or clockwise direction would cause the rotor rod to rotate clockwise back to its original position.

Therefore, it may be seen that. by the novel linkage arrangement, the coupler locking mechanism may be directly controlled from the side of the car by a transverse operating rod; but at the same time, there may be afforded under the coupler enough clearance to prevent the interference of the coupler mechanism with the air and power connections. and other working parts necessarily positioned under the coupler.

I claim:

1. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, a

coupler head having a knuckle pivoted thereto, a rotor tending transversely of the car and having inboard and being supported by said car and comprising a handle, the inboard end of said rod being movably connected to and supported by said head, and a movable connection between the upper end' of said connecting rod and said operating rod intermediate the ends of said operating rod. 2. In a car coupler lock arrangement, a coupler head,

an operating rod having anoutboard end supported by said car and having an inboard end supported by said head at the top thereof, a connecting, rod positioned at one side of said head and having an upper, end connected to said operating rod intermediate the ends of said operating rod and having a lower end extending to the bottom of the head, a rotor positioned at the bottom of said head, and a rotor rod having an inboard end connected tosaid rotor and an outboard end connected 'to the lower end of said connecting rod.

3. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, a

rotor at the bottom of said coupler, a rotor rod disposed in a generally horizontal plane and having inboard and outboard ends, said inboardiend being received in said rotor, a connecting rod disposed in a generally vertical plane at one side of thecoupler and having upper and lower ends, and an operating rod disposed in a generally horizontal plane and having outboard and inboard ends and rotatable about a generally horizontal axis, an operating rod having one end directly supported by said car outboard ends, the outboard end of said operating rod, I

means.

and having the other end directly supported by the other portion of said coupler and being rotatable about a generally horizontal axis, and a connecting rod interconnecting the operating rod and the rotor rod and being movable in a generally vertical plane.

5. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, a rotor positioned in the lower portion of said coupler, a generally horizontal rotor rod connected to said rotor, a generally vertical connecting rod connected to said rotor rod and positioned at one side of the coupler, a generally horizontal operating rod daving inboard and outboard ends, the outboard end of said operating rod being bent to form a handle, said rod being supported adjacent its outboard end by the car, the inboard end of said operating rod being supported by the top of the coupler, a movable connection between the coupler and the inboard end of the operating rod to permit the rotation of the operating rod, and an arm having one end rigidly secured to the operating rod, adjacent the inboard end of the operating rod, and having its other end connected to said connecting rod.

6. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, a rotor positioned in the lower portion of the coupler, a rotor rod having an inboard end connected to said rotor and having an outboard end defining an eye therein, an operating rod supported by the car and coupler and havingan arm rigidly aflixed thereto, said arm presenting an eye therein, a double crank-shaped connecting rod disposed at one side of the coupler in a generally vertical plane and having an-upp'er end received in the eye of the operating'rodarm and having a lower end received in the eye of the rotor rod.

7. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, an operating rod supported by the car and the coupler, a generally vertically extending connecting rod having'upper and lower ends, the upper end being connected to the operating rod adjacent the end of said operating rod, a rotor positioned in the lower central portion of the coupler and extending out of the bottom of the coupler and having an eye therein, and a rotor rod capable of relative movement about a generally horizontal 'axis extending transversely of the car, said rotor rod having a generally U-shaped inboard end received in the eye of said rotor, said rotor rod having an outboard end bent into a crank shape and presenting an eye in which is received the-lower end of said connecting rod.

8. In a carcoupler lock operating arrangement, a head, a rotor therein at the bottom thereof, a rotor rod having inboard and outboard ends, the inboard end being connected to said rotor, a support for the outboard end of said rod on'the lower side of the head, a generally vertical-connecting rod having upper andilower ends, the lower end being connected to the outboard end of said rotor'rod, and an operating rod having outboard and inboard ends and having a crank arm secured thereto betweensaid ends, said crank arm being connected to the upper end of said connecting rod, support means on the top of said head for. said inboard end of said operating rod, and a guide on said head for said operating rod between the crank arm and the inboard end thereof. 9. In a car coupler lock operating arrangement, a head, a rotor in said head at the bottom thereof, and means toadjust the position of said rotor fromthe side of the .car, said meanscomprising rotor rod means positioned at the bottom of the coupler, operating rod means extending transversely of the car in a generally horizontal plane at the top of the coupler and having its respective ends directly supported by the car and on the coupler, and means'at theside of the coupler to connect said operating means to said rotor rod means to transmit the motion of the operating rod means to the rotor rod r '10. In railway car coupler lock operating arrangegrnent, a'rodhaving its inboard end seated on? an upwardly facing surface of the coupler, guide means on said coupler accommodating rotation of said rod and limiting movement thereof lengthwise of the coupler, a support for said rod from said car, lock operating means at the bottom of said coupler, another rod connected at its inboard end to said means, and a connecting rod operatively connected to said first mentioned rod and to said other rod.

11. In a railway car coupler lock operating arrangement, a coupler having lock operating means at the bottom thereof and presenting an upwardly facing surface, guide means on the coupler, a generally horizontal operating rod extending transversely of the car and having outboard and inboard ends and being operatively connected intermediate its ends to the lock operating means, the outboard end of said rod being supported by the car, the inboard end of said rod being disposed to extend through said guide means and being bent to present an inboard end portion angularly related to the longitudinal axis of the rod, said end portion being disposed to seat for the major portion of its length on said surface whereby the inboard end of said rod is directly supported by said coupler, said guide means accommodating rotation of the rod and limiting movement thereof lengthwise and transversely of the coupler.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,806 Bazeley Sept. 2, 1924 1,915,146 Bazeley June 20, 1933 2,009,930 Kelso July 30, 1935 2,356,336 Metzger Aug. 22, 1944 2,384,808 Blomberg Sept. 18, 1945 

